EARTHQUAKE IN CHRISTCHURCH AND LYTTELTON.

Timaru Herald, Volume IX, Issue 341, 2 September 1868, Page 5

EARTHQUAKE IN CHRISTCHURCH AND LYTTELTON.

following account o£ the earthqnafc* ifdtafrOhrMtaJhAroii aodliyttoltba/oa Aflgoct j:fr,wtf tjfltei&nii t&LpikfM TOner^ , ■'• 'Sm^thft'gi^ earthquake which at yi>l« lingtw w,m »o r di*tiiu*w« to life*nd pwperty, :Chnj»tclinr(& bu a^ been THued. by s •bode so Tiolenl; Bad generally' fisli.u that 'which Istartled the infoViUta(*y«!tmlr)r. i The mean time at whk^^ij treincrtfoeiined, is c nutter dfd<>uW?; fu^tftb* iaCtlthj^t Maxady.-half-*---dosrawwnMgMjbqra ia ihec *fty -ai^inel from mofiifiqt&e Bjia^ itfdMfilitni ttrMu r earthqttaW wMe^pori^wd^ r**« wflLl>er<mrtaf »«.-i«dare^JHort Ifcatit > waa JakVat • minoMta t«n;toU)e» at< »-o&at« nrlieri and o«h«»at;U»i»» ntiaate# be&ne >the i€k>? Termneitt do<A afrndc that hoar. Th« peopto oOTtfper, Qreylowut WdUtagtoa, and Bleaf hnn^ifdiithe-ihodc, aa theVtekjantaaa inform WtlXi9J&, whii»at!GaatlePoatt>(%hie&M<Oß the obaat between mdtia&puanA Kadbe),) Ee«tbA«ttm<;ia -WeUiagtoa p»*lnce/ - Aid White'a B»y^Wtiiß«i »•' rtafasd tfrbe*«^ Nehon time ir 10 a-m., add Holdtika 9iSß;> > -Aa to the ijfoint frons which tfc?Tib&timi oame, 7 there »' a- great diflerenco of d^tuons

' ■ Most people are inclined to think that it was from east to west, and this if corroborated by • the intelligence from Castle Point and Wellington. Our Napier correspondent tells us that the shock was from north to south ; and from Blenheim it is described as baring been from the nor'-west. At White's Bay there were two aevere shocks m close succession, the first at 9.55, and the second at 9.56, which lasted 15 seconds.. There is a wide difference as to the duration of the shock. Probably the telegraphist at White's Bay means that the : two shocks lasted for 15 seconds, but Dr Haast assorts that it was all over m two seconds. Wo are inclined to the opinion that the earth* quake occurred at three minntes before ten o'clock, that its duration was between four and five seconds, and that its direction was from south to north. The excitement created m the city was most intense. People imagined that the houses were about to fall upon them, and many of those employed m the Government buildings, the banks, and counting houses, immediately ran into the street. Articles which were hanging up m offices, shrps, and dwellings were made to swing to and fro with considerable force. The shock was most severely felt m the vincinity of the Avon. In Mr Oshorne's furniture warehouse, at the corner of Worcester street west, the timbers creaked to an alarming extent, and chairs which were suspended to the ceiling moved backwards and forwards for some minutes after the shock. Those employed at the bonded warehouse of Messrs Walton & Warner (a stone building) . were greatly alarmed by the falling of a quantity of chests of tea which had been packed 'on tlio upper floor. They ran out, fearing that a portion of the building was falling. We examined the building yesterday afternoon, and found that some of the stones had been - separated to the extent of half-an-inch, while ono or two of limestone were cracked right through. No other damage was sustained. We were informed that the Avon had risen some inches at the time and fallen as suddenly, but m the absence of reliable information, we can only think that the observation was nothing more than an imaginary one. In our office the clock stopped at two minutes to ten and the clock at the Police depot also stopped about the same time. We hare heard of nu- ' mcrous instances besides were the stoppogco clocks indicated the time at which the tremor waa felt It if satisfactory .to know that no material damage has been sustained. At 9.57 a distinct shock of an earthquake was felt m Ly ttelton. Many of the inhabitants residing m the upper end of the town rush id out of their houses m a state of the greatest alarm. The shock was felt most severely by persons residing m the northern part -of the town, although it was also felt by many residing m London street and Norwich quay. Jfr W. B. Jones' store was severely, shaken, the match-board lining of the count-ing-house being split. At Messrs BTeywood's ■tone store, the clerk rushed out of the office, . thinking it was coming down on him. At tho Union Bank of Australia, the shock was sharply felt ; the floor was upheaved, and the varnish on the wood was cracked. Messrs Miles' store was also shaken. At Mr Ellisden's, chemist, all the .bottles on the- shelf es were moved. At Mr Taylor's store the floor rocked violently, and at Mr Walker's store the people of the house rushed out, thinking tho largo windows were coming out; the Queen's also was shaken. In Exeter street, the inhabitants rushed out of their houses m evident alarm, thinking they were going to fall on them. The Oov. . F. Knowles and family had to leave their 'house, fearing it might falL No damage has been done to the buildings. The current m the harbour is very strong j, die water is rising and falling rapidly. , The train due m Lyttelton at 11 o'clock did not arrive until 11.40. It appears that the shock was felt so severely on the other side, that it was considered prudent to send tho engine through, first to see if any of the tunnel hod fallen m; it was found' to be all *ight. Captain Gibson informs- us that all the beacon buoys on the Heatheote river, are out of their place, and cannot be trusted ; this has bean occasioned by the earthquake wave